The new package of agreements with the EU worries both those in favour and those against.

Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,

Relations with the EU are again among the main concerns of the Swiss population, although health costs remain firmly in the lead.

And while a historic hotel turned “halal” is sparking a political debate, attention is also on the Mediterranean, where Israel has intercepted the Gaza flotilla carrying several Swiss nationals.

This content was published on October 2, 2025 - 16:30

4 minutes

A member of the Swiss Abroad editorial team, I mainly write about Switzerland's most peculiar features and stories. After completing my master's degree in Asian Studies in Geneva (with a detour at Tokyo University and Kyoto University), I worked on the newsdesk at RSI, occasionally collaborating with Presence Switzerland during the Expo in South Korea and Milan. I have been working for SWI swissinfo.ch since 2016.

Relations with the EU have climbed to the top tier of concerns for the Swiss population, with 42% of respondents in a Tamedia survey naming them as a major worry. Health costs remain highest (70%), followed by immigration (51%).

Compared with the previous survey two years ago, relations with Brussels have risen 14 percentage points. The reason is not spelled out, notes 24 heures, but the new package of agreements with the EU is the obvious factor. Supporters fear a loss of prosperity without the deal, while opponents warn of “subjugation” to Brussels and mass immigration.

Pensions, meanwhile, have fallen from second to sixth place (39%). The approval of a 13th monthly pension payment may explain the drop, Tamedia suggests.

Despite slipping five points since 2023 (from 75% to 70%), health costs remain the biggest concern, driven by rising compulsory insurance premiums. More on this below.

In 1996, the average annual premium paid by the Swiss population was CHF1,540. In 2026 it will exceed CHF4,700. Keystone / Jean-Christophe Bott

The burden of health insurance premiums on Swiss households may be even greater than official figures suggest, according to a Deloitte study.

The Federal Office of Public Health projects an average rise of 4.4% by 2026. But Deloitte says the cheapest policies, which matter most to those already struggling, will actually rise by about 7% – around CHF23 ($26) more per month.

However, there are strong regional disparities. Zug is the only canton in which premiums will fall next year (by CHF46 per month), but only because the authorities have decided to assume 99% of the costs of inpatient hospital care for their residents. Canton Ticino, the canton most affected, faces increases of CHF40 in the north and up to CHF52 in the south.

It is no surprise that voters in Ticino approved two initiatives on Sunday, against official recommendations, to ease the burden of premiums on household budgets.

The Hotel Bellevue au Lac, in Hilterfingen, on Lake Thun. SRF

Too many Swiss hotels are being sold to foreign investors, and some people want to change the law to limit the phenomenon. This is the topic that some newspapers are devoting space to today.

The debate has flared around the Hotel Bellevue au Lac on Lake Thun in canton Bern, whose restaurant no longer serves alcohol or pork.

The establishment was bought by investors from Abu Dhabi, and the menu changes have angered locals. Complaints were aired on Swiss public broadcaster SRF in September.

Financially speaking, potential Swiss buyers don’t stand a chance against foreign investors, says Social Democratic Party parliamentarian Ueli Schmezer, who blames the so-called Lex Koller. The 1997 law restricts foreigners from buying residential property but not commercial sites. An attempt to expand it failed in 2014 in the Senate, but Schmezer wants to try again, reports Der Bund.

The hotel industry trade association Hotelleriesuisse opposes such a change, arguing that foreign investment is important and contributes to the diversity and preservation of the Swiss hotel industry, including beds and jobs.

This frame grab from video released by the Global Sumud Flotilla shows Israeli navy soldiers aboard one of the flotilla's vessels after it was intercepted as it approached the coast of Gaza early Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (Global Sumud Flotilla via AP) — Israeli soldiers on board one of the intercepted boats Global Sumud Flotilla via AP

Boats of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and about 20 Swiss nationals including former Geneva mayor Rémy Pagani, have been intercepted by Israeli forces. The Swiss foreign ministry has appealed to Tel Aviv.

The Swiss foreign ministry has asked Tel Aviv to act in accordance with the principles of proportionality and necessity, guaranteeing the safety of the participants. It also said consular staff had been deployed to protect those involved.

Israel’s foreign ministry said detainees were “safe and sound” and would be deported to Europe. The Swiss foreign ministry, however, has been informed of the arrest of some participants, whose names have not yet been officially revealed. “The foreign ministry is doing everything possible to obtain information about the detained persons and their place of detention. As soon as possible, embassy representatives will visit the detainees,” it said it a statement.

The news of the interception quickly provoked reactions, triggering protests in several European cities. The largest in Switzerland took place in Lausanne on Wednesday evening, where 500-1,000 people gathered at 9:30pm at the call of a pro-Palestinian collective. Further demonstrations are planned today in other cities.